The invention relates more precisely to a device which is particularly designed to supply in a positive manner preformed tubes of the so-called crushable type with open bases to the supply line of a tube-filling machine section of a tube-filling and boxing machine for processing and packaging preformed crushable tubular containers having an open base in boxes and a tube-filling and boxing machine for the automation of this method.
In accordance with this method, tube-filling and boxing machine substantially involve taking, from a supply hopper, the horizontally disposed tubes to be processed in individual succession and in a positive manner, to supply them in a free falling manner and to despatch them, still in a positive manner, i.e. so that they are controlled, to a member designed to insert them positively, from the horizontal take-up position, in a vertical arrangement with their open bases facing upwardly into resiliently acting take-up members of the processing line along which the tubes are moved in successive steps and are filled and have their bases, which form the actual base, sealed in a conventional manner. The tubes processed in this way, i.e. filled and with their bases sealed, are taken up rhythmically, by transfer members designed to insert them in respective prefabricated packaging boxes or containers having their filling apertures upwardly open, which members are displaced, still in a positive manner, in an identical rhythmic succession to a boxing station and are closed at this station inside the corresponding boxes with the subsequent closure of the filling aperture.